Employees at Macao’s casinos are dealing with an increasing amount of mental and emotional stress, according to Macau Gaming Employees Home, a trade union that represents individuals working in the city’s gambling sector.
At a press conference yesterday that reviewed its work in 2024, the organisation told local media that casino workers were largely optimistic about the outlook of their industry. A large number of casino workers, however, said they were shouldering a greater amount of mental and emotional pressure, as a result of new technologies, an increase in guest numbers and the strengthening of disciplinary regulations.
An official said the union would remind all parties of “principles for the proactive handling of work issues” and encourage industry workers to deal with workplace problems by seeking out professional counselling services.
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In a study conducted last year, which involved 1,182 local casino employees, the Macau Gaming Employees Home found a 12 percent increase in the number of workers experiencing work fatigue issues when compared to 2021. Meanwhile, there was a 24 percent jump in workers who reported psychological and physical stress in comparison to the 2021 figure.
Meanwhile, the union said it provided advice or services to 36,021 people last year, and counselling services specifically to 229 individuals, 143 of whom were new cases.
Around 66 percent of those who sought out counselling did so due to work-related and job-hunting issues, while psychological and emotional issues, as well as problem gambling, accounted for roughly 15 percent and 6 percent respectively.
